The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-04-07
THE ALPS IN WINTER.
AN ENGLiSHMAN CROSSING BY THE
AlBULA FASS IN A STORM.

An Undertaking That Called for All the
Skill of an Experienced Guide-Fall
Over a Precipice-An Almost NIiracu-
lous Escape.
I was informed that in some parts of the
pass there were masses of snow fourteen
and sixteen feet deep, and it would be all
but impossible to get through them. AS
persisted in my determination, however,
/ at length succeeded in obtaining the serv-
ices of a sturdy peasant who knew every
inch of the route, and who was tempted by
the liberal fee 1 offered him. We left
Bergun soon after 12 with well stocked
knapsack of provisions, including q bottle
of old brandy. An hour later the sky had
clouded over, the sun had quite disap-
reared and little wreaths of powdery
snow filled the air.
AS we approached the majestic and ter
rifle Tcufelsthal the snow thickened and
fell in large, compact flakes, while the
gust of deadly wind came up with roar
from the awful ravine where the Albula
thunders in its rocky bed 800 feet below
the roadway. The whole landscape was
obliterated, and it was impossible to see
half dozen yards ahead. The road itself
was entirely lost, but the guide, with UNI
erring instinct, traced the way, cleverly
avoiding the precipices and the drifts,
though now and again we found ourselves
struggling up to the waist in soft accu-
mutations on the road itself. BY the time
we had painfully toiled up to the well
known stone bridge which spans the awful
ravinc, the wind was blowing Il gale,
while the snow was binding. We came
within an ace of plunging down into the
fAr t,n 1nN-.,
with the parapet of the bridge, over
which it curled in u great cornicc.
A PERIIOUS UNDERTAKING.
Here, for the first time perhaps, we
fully realized the hazardous nature of the
undertaking. But to turn back was out
of the question, as that weuld have been
even worse than going on. From the
bridge the road is carried over the face of
stupcndous rrecipice, and thence de-
bOuches on 10 all extensive plain. Before
opening upon the plain the defile is cX-
ceedingly narrow, and through this the
wind swept with such terrific force, and
was so charged with compact snow, that
six different times We're we driven back
into the shelter of the projecting rocks
that broke the force of the cruel blasts.
1T length, taking advantage of n lull, we
forced the passage and gained the open.
j cenfcSs that here | almost lost heart.
The icy wind seemed TO blow clean through
ono, and it stung the exposed parts of the
face like whip cords. All around appeared
t" be solid wall of snow. The flakes
were as large as five shilling pieces, and
almost blinded one. Conversation was out
of the question, for it was was impossible
to hear each other, while the eXertion re-
f.tttr nj oil
ceedingly cXhausting.
No one who hadn't been born among
these mountains and who had not spent n
lifetime in such desolate regions could
possibly have found his way and must in
evitably have persisted. But my guide,
with one or two exceptions never once
seemed to 80 astray. For myself, l fol-
lowed in his tracks mechanically. | was
numbed and lrowsy, and he had the APP
pearance to me of Il white specter only
dhnly seen. Although by the hour there
should have been plenty of daylight, the
air was darkCncd by thick SHOW, and'I
began to very seriously doubt whether 1t
was at all possible to reach our tlestina-
ton. The guide had similar thoughts, fol
soon after he stopped and ShOnted in my
car that there was Shepherds hut some
where about there, and il would I've as
well to try and find it and shelter in il for
the night. L readily aCguicsced in this
proposal, and VIC turned eff at an angle
and forged ahead for about u quarter of
an hour, when, with startling SIitldcnncsS,
the guide disappeared-whcre knew not.
| only knew that he had gone out Of INV
vision, and was left alone in that CHASTITY
region of death, with the appalling roar
of the wind and the river laundering i'm
my ears.